Texas Bill to ban active RFID in schools

Good news indeed. A bill banning the use of active radio frequency identification (RFID) that identifies and locates children in schools has been presented to the Texas Legislature. Senator Kolkhorst introduced SB486 on the 10th of February 2015 that reads:

“A school district may not require a student to use an identification device that uses active radio frequency identification technology or similar technology to identify the student, transmit information regarding the student, or track thelocation of the student”

Similar bills introduced in 2012 by the then Representative Lois Kolkhorst, HB101 and HB102, were unsuccessful. More here on HB101 and HB102. Hopefully SB486 will be passed and Texas will be the second State in the USA that bans radio frequency identification used by children in schools to locate and transmit information.

Missouri was the first US State to ban RFID in schools in 2014. SB523 came into effect October 2014 which “Prohibits school districts from requiring a student to use an identification device that uses radio frequency identification technology to transmit certain information”.

RFID transmitting the location of students is used in Texas. However in Northside Independent School District (NISD) the RFID introduced in 2012 was a disastrous public relations exercise for the technology.

San Antonio – students protest against tracking RFID

One student in 2012 who attended John Jay High School in San Antonio, Andrea Hernandez , refused to carry the active 433MHz tag, that was going to transmit her whereabouts 24/7. The school unbudging in its commitment to have the kids wear the active RFID expelled Andrea.

The Hernandez family took NISD to court, with the Judge’s decision unfortunately going against them. Andrea had to move schools. In July 2013 the RFID was scrapped. NISD had introduced the RFID to improve school attendance which it failed miserably in (obviously!). Quite how NSID expected students wearing a RFID tag around their necks would improve attendance is clearly a testament to the sales pitch of the company supplying the RFID, WADEgarcia.

There were many claims made about the RFID one of which was that only the school could track the RFID tag. Not entirely correct. The RFID tags the kids were, and are, wearing in Texas utilise the 433MHz radio frequency. The same frequency used by RFID tags the US Military use to track their assets around the globe, in fact it is the very same standard ISO18000-7. So let’s be very careful when making claims about RFID technology. See paper ‘Military Systems compatible with Student Locator RFID‘.

Hopefully SB486’s progress will highlight what exactly RFID is capable of. Not that I am suggesting the US Military is tracking children in America but only that the technology does have capabilities and is open to be fallible.

One response to “Texas Bill to ban active RFID in schools”

Just wanted to say god bless u all for taking a stand not only for those who are educated on this tender subject but also for those who eyes are not open to this matter i have been ob the edge of my seat wondering if we had other individuals out there who were willing to fight against a group of others who find the rfid chip useful and mandatory for this company i turned on my youtube channel and watched info wars and ran across the fight that u are all willing to take and risk it all for the well being of this nation and those who live for freedom liberty and justice my heart is with u, my mind is heavy and my eyes are opened this is a matter in which we cannot rest on this is a fight where we cannot grow weary, this is a fight where we stand fir something and someone i cant express how truly grateful i am to see such strong people together u have my vote my love and my mind on your side. Whats going on is wrong sneaky and not the way we have built our country if of any assistance i can give for my country and my citizens who is backing this fight i am love u all and god bless u……

Article – Biometrics and RFID tracking in UK Education

Documenting the rise of biometric and RFID technology used in education

Book – Surveillance Schools

With the growth of surveillance technologies globally, Dr Emmeline Taylor focuses on the phenomenon of the Surveillance School and explores the impact that continual monitoring is having upon school children, education and society.

433MHz military capabilities of tracking students

Interview with Katherine Albrecht, technology and privacy in schools

Katherine Albrecht show - July 2013. Katherine and Pippa King discuss the victories in removing or preventing biometric and other tracking systems from being used on our children.